PM Lee to meet Biden, Harris in first trip to US under current administration

SINGAPORE — Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will be meeting United States President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris during a working visit to the US from March 26 to April 2, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement on Friday (March 25).

The visit to Washington DC and New York City will be Mr Lee’s first to the US after Mr Biden became president in 2020. The two leaders last met in Italy last October on the sidelines of the G20 leaders’ summit.

The trip will also mark the first visit by an Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) leader to the US capital during the Biden administration.

“The visit will build on the robust, longstanding and multi-faceted relationship between Singapore and the United States,” PMO said, adding that Mr Lee's last visit to the US was in September 2019.

Besides Mr Biden and Ms Harris, Mr Lee will also be meeting other US Cabinet secretaries and senior members of the US Senate and House of Representatives.

He will take part in a dialogue by American think-tank Council on Foreign Relations as well.

The meetings will “review and discuss ways to further advance our close cooperation in various fields”, PMO said.

Mr Lee will be accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong, and Communications and Information Minister Josephine Teo. 

Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security,  will become the Acting Prime Minister in Mr Lee’s absence.